The 2023 Naturescapes Photography Contest, cosponsored by the Hays County Master Naturalist Chapter, is now accepting entries! The entry deadline is June 26th.

The Hays County Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist™ held its annual Reunion on April 29, 2023. It was a day for the Chapter’s self-celebration, project networking, trail walks, relaxation, good food, stargazing, a sleepover, and renewed friendships all around.

It was a gray afternoon last week when I visited Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary for the first time. Not the ideal time of day for birding. But I still saw a variety of birds and hundreds of butterflies in this beautiful landscape.

Sure, everyone uses maps to navigate, but did you know they can help us fight erosion, determine which plants will have the most chance of success, and even identify possible patches of oak wilt?

Folks still call it “Patsy Glen” for short. On a spring day in Wimberley, Texas, we pack a sandwich and binoculars and head for a secluded patch of forest tumbling downhill behind a supermarket and the Community Center.

Our HELM team participated in an onsite workshop focused on managing invasive vegetation and aggressive native species, on brush management, and on grasses, mulching, seeding, and erosion. We are excited to share that knowledge with Hays County landowners.

Project FeederWatch is an easy, fun way of learning about birds that you can do right from your backyard. Or with a friend! 

All life can evolve and thrive if there is cooperation and community.

Our April cover photo of Pinky, and other photos of the iconic Golden-cheeked Warbler, were taken by Hays County Master Naturalist Tom Hausler.

The Ice Storm of February 2023 awed us with its undeniable beauty. But its destructive force left thousands of households without power and devastated our Central Texas landscape.

With the fallout (literally) after our ice storm, there was a plethora of cleanup to be done throughout the Hill Country. Here's a snapshot of our HCMN team doing just that at Chaetura Canyon.

Welcome to CoCoRaHS! “Volunteers working together to measure precipitation across the nations.”

I was approached by a friend to join a new book club. As a Master Naturalist and someone whose teaching career started in inner-city Houston, I was intrigued by the first book chosen. That book was Farming While Black by Leah Penniman.

Early bloomers emerged after the ice storm…a photo gallery.

Last week, as I came up on Nestbox 1, I heard the slightest rustle. I looked up, and this fancy fellow was standing there.

Take a walk through San Marcos with Jesse Huth’s Zone 1 birding team to see a few of the bird species that contributed to 2022’s record breaking CBC—127 total species recorded by 7 teams.

“To me sustainability is the most important issue in the world today. It affects every individual, all of us every day, and will affect our next generations.”—Salwa Khan

Trees are our partners in smart land stewardship. So what do we need to know about tree structure and growth, tree rings and roots, about enemies of trees? In fact, what exactly is a tree?

We love those amazing creatures who visit us on our property. But have you ever wondered how they survive cold winter weather? Even some of us with our heated houses, warm clothes, and plenty of blankets struggled through Uri. But we survived, and so did most of our beloved birds and other creatures. But how?

“If you want a good sermon, walk out into this country; that is where things come together.” —Gay Dahlstrom